Lone Star beer collectables on a poker table in the game room in the home of David Strahan and Katherine McMillan. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013.

Lone Star beer collectables on a poker table in the game room in the home of David Strahan and Katherine McMillan. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013.

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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'Mad Men' features Don Draper drinking Lone Star beer

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Sunday night on the second to last episode of “Mad Men” ever (yeah, The Texican isn’t happy about that either), Don Draper (away from the office on some sort of vision quest) held court with a group of grizzled military vets in a tiny Oklahoma town telling war stories over Lone Star beer and other adult beverages, including Old Crow whiskey.

It didn’t turn out to be the best night on record for Draper, which is saying something if you are a fan of the show, but we won’t offer up any spoilers.

It wasn’t quite a swarthy Rust Cohle drinking a Lone Star six-pack on “True Detective” but we’ll take it.

Lone Star beer was introduced to Texas by beer baron Adolphus Busch in 1883, opening the state’s first large-scale mechanized brewery in San Antonio. A year later, it produced its first beer. Currently, the label is owned by Pabst Brewing Company.

Anyone who frequents dive-y bars and tiny club shows in Houston knows that Lone Star is a stellar brew. Plus, you can buy a round for a dozen of your friends and not have to eat ramen noodles for a week. At two dollars a bottle or can, its discount luxury, but luxury nonetheless.

Even the beer nerds I know will tell you Lone Star is OK if there is not a snob-approved local craft beer available. Lone Star is also you know, from Texas. They drank it by the gallon in “Urban Cowboy” so it’s Hollywood-approved.

Willie Nelson also helped make it cool in the ’70s when most of the music I now listen to 24 hours a day was being recorded.